Felt punching loom



,5 Sheets-Sheet 1 i EJ Y R. H. JOHNSON FELT PUNCHING Loom Filed July 29, 1932 June 11, 1935.

La A! ,l'mventor Cittomeg R. H. JOHNSON FELT PUNCHING LOOM June 11, 1935.

Filed July 29, 1932 f5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mentor June 11, 1935. y R. H. JOHNSON y I FELT PUNGHING Loom 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 29, 1952 Gttotneg Patented June 1l, 1935 g' UNITED STATES PATENT o-FFIc-E Application July 29,"1932gser'ia1 No. 525.891

2 Claims.

lThis invention relates togmachines for forming punched felt and it resides in a new lform of punching loom comprising novel driving means permitting regulation of the amplitude of the 5 needling oscillation, novel lifting means for* imparting accommodating movements to the stripper frame, improved gibs for the needling beam and a novel arrangement below the bolster for removing dirt resulting from the operation of the machine; the novel organization and coaction of said parts resulting in a new ease, rapidity and economy in the production'of punched felt as well as a new exibility with respect tothereconomic production of widely varying weights of felt products. l A

When run at higher speeds the looms known prior to this invention have been subject to destructive vibration due to faulty communication of the oscillating movement of the drive shaft to the beam supportingfthe needleboar-d. Ihe supporting and guiding of the beam has also been faulty in the larger sizes of such machines resulting in deflections o f such magnitude that needles are `frequently broken and due to funequalpunching a thoroughly unsatisfactory quality of work is produced. f

v The form of the machine of this invention, however, is especially adapted for construction in large dimensions. Machines designed in accordance herewith may lbe constructed in sizes quite capable of producing'uniformly punched feltin widths exceeding 130 inches and'having `weights exceeding 24 ounces per square foot. The manufacture of material in widths and weights approaching the above has not been heretofore accomplished. The increase in size with its attendant economy is an vadvantage of the machine of this invention but features of greater importance are those which enable the loom of this invention to operate with equal facility upon any weight of material desired-'andto do the same with greatly improved smoothness, convenience and speed and at the same time to create a product of greater uniformity and higher quality.

Through the accompanying drawings and the description which follows the construction 'of a typical machine' of this invention and the manner of operating the same willbe pointed out.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 represents a front view of a'machine built in raccordance with this invention,A the same being shown broken away in places to reveal sections of the parts; v

2 represents a .section of the machine looking endwise thereof at theplanel 2 2 shown in Fig. 1; f

Fig. 3 represents an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 2; Y

Fig. 4 represents a partial plan view looking downwardly upon the stripper grid at the planeV A y and near the bottom by the bolster chairs 3` and 3', the latter being shown more clearly in Fig. 2. Secured between the channel members 2 and 2' as byweldingare the webs 4, 4', 5 and 5'.A The ends of the channel members 2 and 2' are rigidly secured together by the end pieces 6 and 6'. Integrally formed with the end pieces 6 and 6' and the spacing webs fl and 4' are the bearing caps 1 and 'I' enclosing the main bearings!! and 8. Rigidly secured' to web members 5 and 5' are bearing caps 9 and ,9" enclosing intermediate main bearings I0 land IU'. The four main bearings 8, `8', VIlland I0' are'arranged in axial alignment, and within the same is rotatably supported', the main shaft II, the latter having bearing faces I2,` I2', I3and I3' and eccentric faces I4 `and |4".' shaft H is driven through suitable driving means such as pulley I5 by a source of driving energy not shown. Mounted upon eccentricfaces I4 and vI4' closely flttingthe same butcapable of turning thereon are the eccentric sleeves I5 and I 5' having slotted flanges 6I and 6I". 'Ihe eccentric sleeves I5 and I5 are'provided with external bearing surfaces upon which follower bearings I6 and I6 are mounted. Keyed to shaft II to turn therewith kare the driving disks I1 andv I 1', the saine being provided with locking bars I8 and I8' secured to said disks by screws I9 `,and I9. The slotted flanges 6I and 6I' 1 are placed adjacent the driving disks Il and I1', the slots4 in the flanges being capable of registry in a plurality of positions vwith locking bars I8 'and I8'. Thus by removing screws I9 and I 9""and locking bars I8 and I8' and by rotating shaft II, a plurality of effective eccentricitiesof the bearing faces of sleeves I5 and I5' 'may be obtained and by placing locking bars I8 and I8' into one or another of the slots in the flanges 6I and 6I" and locking the same in position with screws I9 and I9', any one of a'plurality of adjustments may be preserved.` 1

, Surrounding bearings I6 and I6 are the Iollowers 62 and 62', the same having depending tubular portions secured to and enclosing female threaded members 2|! and 20'.l Engaging the threaded members and 20' are adjusting screws 2| and 2|', the same being rotatably secured to jack heads 22 and 22' by shoulder sleeves 23 and`23'. Jack heads 22 and 22 bear wrist pins 24 and 24', the same being pivotally mounted in wrist sockets 25 and 25'. Wrist sockets 25 and 25' are secured to a beam 26, the latter bearing on its outer ends tubular guide members 21 and 21. The tubular guide members 21 and 21 vare slidably mounted upon vertical cylindrical gibs28 and 28' which inturn are :securely fas-A tened to standards I and -I'- lby jaw supports '29, 29', 29" and 29'.Y When the crank shaft II'is rotated, the connecting rods including the `followers 62 and 62 impart to the beam 26 a vertical oscillatory movement the amplitude of which may be varied at will through theadjustment of eccentric sleeves I5 and I:5.

The machine of this ,invention is also provided with means foradjusting the location of the median about which the beam v2l6foscillates. The threaded members 2| and 2| 4have keyed thereon to rotate therewith beveled gears 30 and 30' which mesh respectively with beveled pinions .3| and 3|'- The beveled pinions 3| `and 3|' are secured toconnecting shaft 32, the latter` being adapted to rotate within projections of jack heads I22and 22. -A ratchet handle 33erv any convenient form is mounted upon shaft 32 so thatthe same may be rotated by In rotatr ing shaft 32, threaded members- 2| and .2I are y caused to rotate and to alter the vertical height of ythe beam 26 or more specifically theldegree of approach between beam 26 and followers 62 and 62. y

The needling mechanism proper comprising the needle board, the stripper grid'land the bolster is best described by referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4 in conjunction with Fig. l. .Secured-to thelowerp-portion of beam26 is the needle board 34 bearing -a plurality of downwardly extending needles Y35.

Suspended below the needle sboard 347i; the stripper grid 36 having openings therein to aocommo date the passage of needles ,3.5 and being formed of vthe frame 415 and bars 46 bestshownfin Fig. y4. Stripper grid 36 is provided with al plurality of brackets 31 which vengage rod supports 36. Rods 38 pass upwardly through `guide bushings 36 which are .fslidably secured-tobeam-,Z -by means of brackets 41. The vrods then .pass upwardly through. lifting -arms 40 which are mountedvupon and secured to the beam 26. Above the arms 4I) and loosely fitted upon the rods 38 are the resilient buffer pla-tes 4g| .and theV adjusting collars 48. The rods 38 .have threaded portions in the vicinityof the collars 48 upon which thread'- ed por-tions are mounted lock nuts 42. The rods 38 then .extend upwardly between thechannel members 2 and 2" and through guidememberswhich are secured to lthe channel members 2 and 2'. Upon the upper extremities of rods are mounted limiting nuts 44 and between .said limiting nuts and guide suPp0rtsf43 .are yinserted re- Asilient washers 49. By supporting ,stripper vgrid 36 in thismannera ,noveland very usefulmotion is imparted to the same.

When the needle board 34v vand .the beam `26 descend'the lifting arms 40 are-carried downwardlyfcausing a-.descentof jthe stripper grid 36. Strip per grid 3| continues to descend with the `downward movement of the beam l26, .limiting nuts 44 engage the washers 49 whereupon the support of the stripper grid is transferred from the moving beam 26 to the stationary guide supports 43.4 Upon the upward return movement of the beam 26 the lifting arms 46 lagain engage the resilient buffers 4| and lift the stripper grid 36. This arrangement causes thev` stripper grid to descend and rest momentarily at a predetermined height while the needle board completes the lowermost portion of its travel and to again vrise when the needles are withdrawn from thefabric regulating the adjustment of lockr nutsv 42 and -during the upper portion of their'movement. By s ment of the strippergrid maybe adjusted to any point desired and the extent to which the stripper grid israised during the upper part of the stroke may also be regulated. Through the adjustment 0f these nuts the stripper grid may also be oper-` ated as a stationary grid. Further, in the -event that an exceptionally bulky portion of the bat is fed into Ethe machine, the stripper grid 4will accommodate itself thereto, a xedapproach* between the :same and the bolster 50'- not being necessary..

The Abolster best shown in Fig.r 4 is composed-of a frame 5I .bearing space bars l52. -The bolster 4frame las shown in Figs. 2 and 3 kis securelymoun-ted upon chairs 3 and 3 which in turn derive their support from standards I and'I. v

Below the bolster 50 andfbetween Athe chairs 3 and 3 is placed aconveyor troughA 53 con-taining conveyor screw `54, the latter turning on shaft 55,. Shaft-55 is Vournallecl to turn in the-bearing 56 which in turn is mounted upon standard I. Mou-n-tedfuponshaft to tur-n therewith is the sprocket 51 adapted to'turn the shaft 55 through the application of asource of energy not shown. f

Ln operating .-the machine of this invention, a fibrous bat is conveyed between the bolster 50v and the stripper-.grid .36 `by anysuitable means, sometimes such as shown by dotted lines in4 Fig. 2.

While feeding the batthrough the machine, shaft ,II is rotated, -causingan'oscillating movement Aof* the beam 26 and the needle-board 34. The needles 35 are driven downwardly through the spacesy in the stripper grid as shown in Fig. 4 through the iibresof the -bat and then intothe spaces between the bars -52 of the bolster 50 and `are then withdrawn.` This operation 4is repeated with. great rapidity and duri-ng the movement of the needles the stripper 1grid movesdownwardlyto a determined position above the Lbat and is then raised with eachrepetition of., the needling movement.

Should it'be vdesired to operate upon relatively heavy material the adjusting screws 2| arerturned to draw .the beam 26 nearto the eccentric'followers 62 Aand 62". The veccentricsleeves |15 and I5"l may then Vbe turned uponthe eccentric faces I4 .and I4' Aso that theireccentricity adds to the .eccentricity of ythe faces I4 and I4', this adjust? .this wide opening to assist theentrance of a batV is not available and the greater facility with material, the eccentricity of eccentric faces Hlr and I4 and eccentric sleeves l5 and I5 may be placed to oppose each other and to reduce theeffective eccentricity to a smaller amount. At the same time adjusting screws 2l and 2l may be turned to reduce the displacement of the needles 35 from the bolster 50 to a smaller amount. The machine thus adjusted is well adapted for the manufacture of light weight material. Intermediate adjustments are as easily made for the manufacture of intermediate Weights of material. Machines known prior to thisvinvention have been incapable of any adjustment in the length of stroke of the needles and consequently are entirely incapable of working upon a Wide range of materials.

The machine of this invention is capable of exceptionally smooth operation for the reason that driving disks I1 and l1 are of such widths and proportions as to completely counterbalance the eccentricities of eccentric faces I4 and I4 while the flange portions of eccentric sleeves I5 and I 5 are dimensioned and positioned to counterbalance the eccentricity of said sleeves. Consequently, in any position which `eccentric sleeves may be adjusted, complete balance of the rotating assembly mounted upon lshaft Il is obtained.

Further, the mounting of the wrist sockets 25 and 25 intermediate the ends of the beam 26 makes possible the rapid oscillation of the beam with a minimum of deflection therein. Many needling machines now in use communicate the oscillating movement to the beam at the extremities thereof thus inducing the maximum possible deflection therein causing breaking of needles and non-uniform needling of the work.

The gibs, guiding the motion of the beam 2E are constructed in this invention, in a manner providing the greatest simplicity and strength. Tubular guide members 21 and 21 can be fabricated with ease and their interior finish effected with great facility. 'Ihe cylindrical guide members 28 and 28 may also be constructedpwith a minimum of labor and formed with great precision on simple available machines. Cylindrical guides 28 and 28' as shown in Fig. 5 are provided with a central bore 59 and 59 communicating with lateral bores 60 and 60 through which lubricant may be supplied. The cylindrical form of the contacting surfaces makes possible uniform distribution of lubricant rendering the gibs of the machine of this invention free of excessive wear.

for the proper guiding of the beam 26,v and properly caring for any unaccounted for thrusts andv insuring the entrance of the needles 35 into the rather limited spaces provided for their accommodation between the bars of the stripper grid 36 and the bars of the bolster 50.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of parts except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a needling loom, ythe combination of a bolster, a needling means mounted above said bolster and movable vertically toward and away from the same, a stripper grid cooperating with said needling means, carrying means for said stripper grid, a carrying connection between said' carrying means and said needling means for movement of said stripper grid by said needling means and relative movement ybetween said carrying means and needling means,v means for limiting the upward movement of said carrying means, and adjustable means for positively limiting the downward movement of said grid by said carrying means.

2. In a needling loom, the combination of a bolster, a needling means mounted above said bolster and movable vertically toward and away from the same, a stripper grid cooperating with said needling means, rods carrying said stripper grid, arms connected with said needling means said rods being connected to said arms to be carried thereby and permit relative movement between said rods and said arms, means for limiting the upward movementof said rods by said arms, and means engaging said rods for positively limiting the downward movement of said grid by said arms.

REGINALD H. JOHNSON. 

